We are honored to host the 2021 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2021) in Prague, Czech Republic.

IROS 2021 aims to bring a truly historical event to represent the first-ever conference organized by a Central European country and, more remarkably, by the country that introduced the word "robot” to the world.

Due to the worlds’ situation with COVID-19 and experienced outlooks for the near future, all strongly affecting IROS 2021 execution. Now, we are facing many strong disease control measures against the pandemic, constraints on international travel, accommodation, etc. the majority of which is hard to be predicted. We feel the major role of IROS organizers is to assure safety to participants on the one hand, and a low-risk and smooth execution of the quality event under the constraints of these days on the other one. Therefore, all afore mentioned brings good reasons to adjust IROS 2021 into a fully on-line event.

Even coming up with this crucial decision, IROS 2021 will offer a quality scientific program as ever, but this time taking advantage of new on-line technologies explicitly tailored for its’ purpose. This will allow the introduction of live meetings, discussions, forums, competitions, exhibition, and sponsorship programs in an on-line form and will offer as much as possible on-line interactions.

The forthcoming IROS 2021 conference, even in an on-line form, targets creating opportunities to meet, discuss, and become familiar with the most recent advances in the field of robotics, autonomous and intelligent systems, human-compliant robots, medical robotics, and many more. IROS 2021, as ever before, will include an on-line robotic exhibition as an essential part of the event.

IROS 2021 stands genuinely an ideal place to gather new findings and ideas, discuss across the robotic community, and many more.

We cordially invite you to join and enjoy this flagship robotic conference, organized from the birth place of the Robot, Prague, Czech Republic.

Welcome to IROS 2021, welcome back home!

Libor Přeučil
IROS 2021 General Chair